WILL ANIMAL SERVICES GO TO HSUS?

These two recent articles (BELOW) point out that LAAS and the Zoo may be turned over to private groups. This rumor has been circulating for months, and there were previous articles about the possibility.

Jim Bickhart told me a month ago that there was this possibility, but that the Mayor's Office had not really gone into it that much yet in terms of realistically examining the possibility.

However, he may just be covering up, and that is why so little time and energy has been spent on getting a new GM.

Below, Orlov says Council will be taking this issue on next month.

Also, I was told three months ago by sources I won't name, that the turnover of LAAS to HSUS was nearly a done deal. Pacelle has been spending a lot of time in LA recently.

Savings from any decision to end city operation of the services would take more than a year to realize because of the time it takes to negotiate employee contracts and configure a deal with any private group.

HSUS? Since when do they have any experience running a local all-species animal shelter? From what I can tell, they operate 5 centers:-Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch-Cape Wildlife Center-The Fund for Animals Wildlife Rehabilitation Center-SPCA Wildlife Care Center -Duchess Sanctuary.

Granted, this City's attempts at running the shelters have been dismal at best and some kind of association with a private entity might work, but there are a million questions to answer before a "done deal" would make any sense. Wonder if we'll get a chance to ask them. Probably not.

Then again, who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall at the meeting of Pacelle and Linda Barth?

Poor old Linda must be sweating, imagining the end of her ride on the incompetence gravy train. Or does she still have enough juice that Bickhart will find yet another cushy landing spot for her? Surely there must be some city department she hasn't run into the ground yet. That must be worth continuing her six-figure salary.